William Post Sackett

William Post Sackett, son of James Horton Sackett and Jerusha Post, was born in Brooklyn, New York CityG, in about 1832.1,2,3 He married in New York CityG, on 10 May 1852, Margaretta Elizabeth Garner, daughter of Henry Garner and Elizabeth Scott Maken.4,5,6 Margaretta was born in New York CityG, on 28 December 1831.7 In 1850 William was living in Brooklyn, New York City, New York StateG, in the household of his widowed mother Jerusha, and was recorded in the census as William Sacket, a broker, aged 18 and born in New York.8 In December 1854 William Sackett was found to have misappropriated some $25,000 from the Market Bank in New York where he was employed as the receiving teller. He had used the money to speculate in railroad stocks and bonds. The directors of the bank first tried to handle the matter internally, presumably to avoid negative publicity for the bank, and a substantial sum was recovered, including some $4,100 from William's mother Jerusha. William claimed to have repaid a total of $17,000, but said he could not repay the balance. In February 1855 the bank referred the matter to the police and William was arrested while returning to New York from Smithtown, Long Island, where he had been living at his father-in-law's house. Bail was set at $10,000 and a Mr Garnett [probably Henry Garner, his father-in-law] was bound for half the sum. The court was told that William's mother was expected to take the other half. The final outcome of the trial is not known, the latest newspaper report found (24 March 1855) indicating that a decision of the court was expected in the following week. Three months later, in June 1855, William was living in BrooklynG and was recorded as Mr Sackett, a bookkeeper, aged 24. His wife Margaretta, 20, and two-year-old daughter Ada were living with him. They were boarders in the household of a Hickey family. Also boarding with them was Matilda Sackett, 22, who has not been identified.9 It is unclear what became of William Sackett following the trial. William and Margaretta are assumed to have divorced. She married second at Bethesda Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaG on 9 April 1874 Jacob S Brown.10 She died aged 87 as Jacob Brown's widow at 90 East Logan Street, PhiladelphiaG, on 6 September 1919 and was buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery, PhiladelphiaG, on 10 September 1919.11 In 1860 a William Sackett, aged 28 and born in New York, was living in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaG in a boarding house with eleven other occupants including the boarding house keeper, supported by eight domestic staff. William's occupation is not stated.12

"New York City Marriage Notices, 1835–1880", database, Findmypast, "10 May 1852, New York, William Post Sackett, of Brooklyn, New York, to Margaretta E Garner, of Brooklyn, father Henry Garner. New York Herald, 12 May 1852; The Brooklyn Eagle, 12 May 1852."